We are proud to announce our newest location to service the Port of Houston! We can handle a intermodal container drayage at the Barbours Cut Container Terminals as well as the Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF), Union Pacific (UP) & Kansas City Southern (KCS) rail ramp.

Asset Based Intermodal is a leader in the shipping & logistics industry that services Texas, Arkansas, Lousiana, Oklahoma & New Mexico. Let Asset Based Intermodal handle your intermodal drayage needs from the port to the rail yard in the Houston area now too.

At Asset Based Intermodal, we utilize cross-docking wherever possible. “Superior logistics planning includes cross-docking wherever possible. Cross-docking is the practice of unloading materials from an incoming vehicle and immediately loading these same materials directly onto outbound vehicles with minimal or zero warehousing interval between. Think of this as “Just-in-Time” shipping. Cross-docking is an ideal solution when product freshness is paramount. Cross-docking evolved out of a need to get perishable goods to market quickly. This procedure is one of the key inclusions an organization can make to its portfolio of standards whose function is to drive manufacturing and distribution center improvements.”

Hot Weather Trucking and Truck Function

Rising temperatures can also wreak havoc on your truck. From your brakes, to tires, to engine oil and engine coolant, there are a few precautions you can take before heading out on your journey to make sure it’s a smooth one.

Brakes

When temperatures get too hot, brakes can fade, or the components can reach a point where no additional heat can be absorbed, causing lost friction.

When you apply the brakes, heat is transferred to the brake fluid. If you don’t give the brakes adequate time to cool, the brake fluid can actually boil, causing the brake pedal to reach the floor with no braking power.

Check your brakes frequently during a trip in hot weather. If you have a heavy load and have a long descent downhill, consider shifting down a gear or two to take some of the stress off the brakes.

Check brake pads to make sure they are in good shape and check brake fluid to make sure it isn’t old or contains contaminants.

Engine Oil & Coolant

Before a long, hot trip, check your coolant level. A low level could lead to engine overheating which could add more rest time to your trip than wanted.

It may also be smart to replace engine oil in the hot weather. Switching to a higher viscosity oil could also help protect your engine during high temperatures.

Tires

Hot weather trucking can cause tires to wear out faster. You may experience more flat tires due to air loss, or tire blowouts because heat wears down on the integrity of the tire.

To prevent tire troubles and overheating, make sure you have the proper air pressure in tires to help regulate the tires’ temperature.

Protect Yourself from the Sun

The sun can be deadly, but it can also cause some unwanted side effects. If you’re traveling for long bouts of time, be sure to wear sunscreen to prevent burns (especially on nice days when their windows are down).

Keep plenty of water around to keep you hydrated and to help you stay cool during long trips.

Expect more traffic, Longer Trips

In the summertime, many children and teachers are out of school, families are taking off work for vacations, and more road construction is taking place.

All of these factors can lead to increased traffic and congestion. Traffic isn’t just annoying, it’s costly.

According to the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI), traffic congestion in America creates a $78 billion annual drain on the U.S. economy, in the form of 4.2 billion lost hours and 2.9 billion gallons of wasted fuel.

That means shippers, receivers, and drivers alike can expect longer transit times in the hot weather months, especially routes to the beach or toward recreational areas.

Severe Weather

It’s not just winter that brings harsh weather conditions. Another major factor that affects drivers in the hot weather months is severe weather.

Along with high temperatures come thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, and dry spells. Heavy rain, lightning, and wind can slow transit time significantly. Rain brings flooding and decreased visibility, lightning and wind can mean downed trees and power lines, and many bridges impose wind restrictions to keep tractor trailers and other large vehicles safe.

Staying Cool While Hot Weather Trucking

Staying cool and safe is a top priority when hauling in hot, hot heat. We hope our tips were useful and help those that aren’t behind the wheel day to day to understand the process of hot weather trucking.